Groundout. Flyout. Lineout. Popout. Strikeout. All of these have the same result — an out — but only one of them generates oohs and ahhs. That would be the strikeout, aka the whiff, aka the “K.” There have been more than 2.3 million strikeouts (and counting) in baseball history, and we’re going to relive every single one. OK, we’re not going to do that, but we will highlight the best pitchers at throwing strikeouts.
This isn’t necessarily a counting list of the pitchers with the most strikeouts, as context is taken into account. An unhittable closer who racks up K’s won’t accumulate nearly the number of strikeouts as a token starter who logs lots of innings. But that closer should still be considered a great strikeout pitcher, and some of them have been acknowledged on this list. Pitchers who had brief but dynamic runs generating lots of strikeouts are also considered as well as guys with lengthy careers who provided more quantity than quality.
Thus, there are many different ways in which a pitcher can make this list. But who is your favorite strikeout pitcher of all time?
Bottom Line: Chris Sale
Elise Amendola / AP Photo
With his long, lanky physique and southpaw delivery, Sale is the current pitcher that most resembles Randy Johnson on the mound. His results are Johnson-esque as well, as Sale, Johnson, Pedro Martinez and Nolan Ryan are the only pitchers to strike out 200 batters over the first 20 starts of a season.
But unlike Johnson, Sale has great control as well and issues very few walks. In fact, his 5.37 strikeout-to-walk ratio is the best in MLB history (min. 1000 IP). He’s achieved that not just with a fastball that can touch 100 miles per hour, but also with a devastating slider that induces swings-and-misses 43 percent of the time he throws the pitch.
